carmina charm

There are these never-tiring, always fascinating and highly atmospheric, poignant songs you rapidly warm up, you inevitably lose your heart to and ever since are held captive by. It's the songs that linger on, that are absorbing in there mere presence, are endearing and haunting in sound to an extent that you find yourself humming their melody, whilst inviting and expressive vocals, vocals which tell of colourful, eidetic and inspiring stories, keep playing on your mind, might go unheard by others yet move and stir your soul. You're taken in by these heart-warming and expressive songs, by their catchy and dynamic rhythms and can't help but vocalizing your genuine affection and enthusiasm for the magical music moments these compositions have granted you. It's these very moments I want you to relive with me - accompany me on a musical journey and find what music gems have made a lasting impression on me, have struck a chord with me in the long run, have awaken the desire and wish to pay tribute to them in a decent manner. This is how carmina charm has seen the light of day, to pronounce and award songs which charm, enchant and involve, whose melodies resound and resonate with the listener, therefore are destined to indulge in. Now, let these alluring, deep-felt and thrilling melodies turn on their charm and be mesmerized ...

I. Michael's Garden

Tom Mitchell 

Gig Review: Nightmares Become Me presents carpe carmina live at The Enterprise, Camden (April 5th): An exciting, enterprising, surprising and striking music night!

Live shows are the crowning of music making. It's where musicians prove themselves, excel and grow. It's where passion and energy is staged, literally. It's also where the stage is set for powerful, insistent performances of the artists' work, for daring renditions, alternations and variations in sound. It's where everything gets a little more 'real', expressive and tangible, where listeners are ultimately won over.  It's the moment where music is breathed life into. For me, live shows are an intense, since unfamiliar and rare experience, therefore a cherished and gladly embraced opportunity to fully indulge in what is a worthwhile and remarkable moment of authenticity and musical magic, authenticity as the sound that lures the listeners in, is unaltered, pure and the immediate outcome of the presented musicianship, musical magic as the performance is absorbing, haunting and acutely ringing, in the best case (my ears were still buzzing even 7 hours after 'Nightmares Become Me presents carpe carmina' took place - not only due to the volume of sound but foremost due the quality of live sets that night!). Tension, anticipation, vigor and spirit on stage, catchy, dynamic, meaningful and rousing songs that cast a spell on you, it all comes together, comes upon you, makes for a memorable time, makes for a captivating atmosphere of sound. It's what makes live music such a pleasure, such an adventure and trenchant experience.

Carpe Carmina Live - a collaboration with The Knievel Dead, The Unassisted, No One Sun & Hate Notes

Do ut des. I give so that you give back. A saying that beyond any doubt sounds familiar to the most, and even if this aphorism is unacquainted to some, it's hard to deny that there lies astounding truth in it. Just think about the meaning of the dictum for a while and you sure will find, it gives an essential insight in people's motivation for initiative, it provides an explanatory approach to one's zest for action. Through contemplation, it becomes apparent that every conduct of ours is stimulated, incited by something, may it be by passion and emotion, may it be by consideration and reason, may it be by encouragement and belief, and is inevitably bound to more or less decent expectations, hopes. It's (literally) human nature to expect something in return, but this doesn't necessarily mean our motivation for action lies solely within the anticipation of being rewarded, being repaid. In fact, some actions are grounded in altruistic motives, the 'donor' doesn't seek award granted by someone else, rather reaps the very same by courtesy of his own actions. It's common that unselfish deeds are done when people are affected and influenced by sentiment, instinct and ardour, that those who give but don't claim amends are driven by something that exceeds expedient demands: devotion, commitment and fervent enthusiasm.